Match book



Sept. 6, 1966 P. J. SCHOENBERGER 3,270,866

MATCH BOOK Filed July 7, 1965 INV ENT OR PHIL/P J. 5 CHOF/VEE/PGE/P "Xi'rORNEY United States Patent 3,270,866 MATCH BOOK Philip J. Schoenberger, 947 Bellows Ave., West St. Paul, Minn. 55118 Filed July 7, 1965, Ser. No. 470,001 7 Claims. (Cl. 20629) This application relates to a match book cover for use in combination with a packet of matches whereby a new and novel match book is provided.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a match book cover providing considerably more space for advertising purposes than is generally available on conventional match books.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a match book cover providing a safety feature whereby the cover must be closed prior to' lighting the matches.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a match book adapted to be more easily opened and closed than conventional match books.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a match book enabling the strike plate to be carried on a safety flap within the covers of the match book in overlying relation to the base of a packet of matches whereby the strike plate may be always maintained in a relatively dry condition.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a match book which may be manufactured on conventional machinery at a cost closely approximating the present cost of match books as commonly made.

In the preferred form of construction, I provide a match book cover having front and back portions hingedly connected at one end to an intermediate portion to normally overlie the packet of matches. The cover is preferably flexible and may be made of thin cardboard or other suitable materials. Both the front and back cover portions are preferably of a length greater than the length of the match packet which they enclose. Fastening means such as a staple, secures the back cover portion to the packet of matches at a point spaced from the free end of the back portion thereby defining a recess between the back cover portion and the base of the packet of matches. A tab is hingedly secured to the free end of the front cover portion. This tab is inserted into the recess to hold the cover closed. To open the match book, the tab is flexed out of the recess enabling the front cover portion to be raised to remove or tear off a match. A strike plate is secured to the cover when used with matches requiring a strike plate. The strike plate may be secured to the outside of either the front or back cover. In a modified form of construction, the strike plate is secured to a safety flap which is of a width substantia-lly greater than the width of the strike plate, the safety flap being secured to the front base of the match packet in overlying relation thereto. At least a portion of the safety flap is adapted to be folded into angled re lation to the strike plate to form a safety barrier between the strike plate and the heads of the matches.

These and other objects and particular advantages, will be more fully described in detail in the accompanying specification taken in conjunction with the drawings herein in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my improved match book.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the front of my improved match book.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation showing the relation between the front and rear covers prior to closing the match book.

FIGURE 4 is a view in plan of the blank from which the cover is formed illustrating one position of attachment of the strike plate.

3,270,866 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 "ice FIGURE 5 is a plan view of an opened match book.

FIGURE 6 is a view of a modified form of construction particularly illustrating the position of the strike plate.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the strike plate mounted on the safety flap.

FIGURE 1 discloses a match book A comprising in combination a packet of matches B and a cover generally numbered 10.

As may be seen in FIGURE 5, the packet of matches may be of the conventional paper match type in which several matches are secured to a base 12 from which they may be separately torn prior to striking them on a strike plate or other surface. Quite commonly the matches are of paper, but obviously other removable matches attached to a base from which they are designed to be removed, could also be used.

The cover 10 is comprised of a back cover portion 14 and a front cover portion 16 hingedly connected to an intermediate cover portion 18 along hinge lines 20 and 22 enabling the cover to be opened to a flat position or to be folded to overlie the packet of matches.

In the preferred form of construction as may be clearly seen in FIGURE 3, both the front and back cover portions are of a length greater than the length of the match packet which they overlie.

The back cover 14 is secured to the base 12 of the packet of matches by a suitable fastening means such as a staple 24 or by gluing or in any other suitable fashion. The back cover is secured to the base of the packet of matches at a point spaced from the free end of the back cover, thereby defining a recess between the inside of the back cover and the base of the match packet terminating at the fastening point.

As may be clearly seen in FIGURE 2, the front cover provides a larger expanse for advertising or for fastening or a strike plate 26. The strike plate 26 may be secured to any portion of the front or back covers on the outside thereof without interfering with the normal opening and closing of the match book.

A tab 28 is hingedly secured to the end of the front cover portion along a hinge line 30. The tab 28 is adapted to be inserted into the recess 32 between the end 34 of the back cover 14 and the base 12 of the packet of matches. As may be seen in FIGURE 3, a portion 36 of the end of the back cover extends beyond the end 38 of the base of the packet of matches, thereby providing a lip against which the flap 28 may engage prior to insertion into the recess 32 and enabling more readily insertion of the flap.

The flap 28 is preferably stiff-1y flexible whereby insertion of the flap into the recess tightly closes the match book. The flap 28 may be hingedly secured along the hinge line 30 as indicated in FIGURE 3 in the one form of construction, or may be hingedly secured to the front cover portions 16 along an intermediate hinge portion as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the hinge portion being numbered 40. The hinge portion 40 is in angled relation to the front cover 16 and the flap 28 and of a width corresponding generally to the width of the base of the pack of matches whereby the flap 28 when inserted into the recess 32 is substantially parallel to the back cover 14. Obviously, the hinge portion 40 may be an extension of the front cover 16 in angled relation to other portions of the front cover, or may be actually foldable along a hinge line at the point of angled relation 42. The hinge line 44 substantially corresponds to the hinge line 30 illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Turning to the figure shown in plan in FIGURE 4, it will be seen that the blank from which the cover is made is substantially an elongated flat member which may be made of paper stock or of any other suitable material. The

3 open blank has been numbered to correspond to the match book shown in FIGURE 1.

It will be understood that the tab 28 may be of any desired width. In general, the width normally would correspond to the width of the front cover. However, it is obvious that any desired width may be used since the tab or flap 28 secures the match book covers together in overlying relation to the packet of matches, and accordingly, may be of any width to fit at least partially within the recess. It will be obvious further that when the tab 28 is inserted into the recess 32 that the furthest point of insertion will be the point at which the head of the tab 28 would engage against the fastening member 24. Preferably, however, the flap or tab 28 is precut so as to not engage against the fastening member.

It is further obvious that the ease of opening and closing the cover will be increased by having the front cover portion at least relatively flexible so as to enable the flap 28 to be snapped out of the recess 32 by the thumb of the user. In other words, the match book may be held in one hand with the forefinger extending transversely across the back cover and the middle finger extending in opposite relation across the front cover, and the thumb resting on the end of the match book along the hinge connection. In this position, the flap 28 may be readily snapped from the recess. In closing the match book, the flap is engaged against the end 36 of the back cover to be slid into the recess 32. Preferably, the end portion 34 of the back cover at least should be stifliy flexible so as to provide a relatively tight overlying relation to the base 12 of the packet of matches thereby holding the flap or tab 28 snugly.

In the modified form of construction illustrated in FIGURE 6, a strike plate is shown secured in overlying relation to the base 12 of the packet of matches. A safety flap generally numbered 46 is provided which is of substantially greater width than the strike plate 48 which is secured thereon by any suitable means such as gluing, for example. The safety flap 46 may be folded along the fold line 50 in angled relation to the strike plate 48 so as to provide a barrier between the strike plate and the match heads 52. The obvious advantage of this arrangement, is that the strike plate may be kept relatively free from the elements, thereby enabling the matches to be struck. Recognizing, however, that striking matches to exposed match heads would provide an element of danger, the extension 54 of the safety flap is provided to serve as a barrier to be folded between the strike plate and the match heads. Alternatively, the flap 28 may be inserted between the extension 54 and the other matches remaining in the packet before the match which has been removed is struck.

In accordance with the patent ofiice statutes, I have set forth the best embodiments of my invention, and I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1. A match book cover in combination with a packet of matches comprising:

(a) a cover having a back portion and a front portion hingedly connected at one end to an intermediate portion to overlie said packet, of matches,

(b) said back and front portions each being of a length at least equal to the length of said match packet and having free ends adjacent an end of said packet of matches,

(c) means securing said back portion to said packet of matches at a point spaced from the free end of said back portion to define a recess between said back portion and said packet of matches,

(d) a tab hingedly secured to the free end of said front portion adapted to be inserted into said recess between the free end of said back portion and said packet of matches to hold said cover closed.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which a strike plate is secured to the outside of a cover portion.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which a strike plate is secured to the front base of said packet of matches.

4. The structure of claim 1 and including a safety flap including a fold line dividing said safety flap to provide a strike plate portion secured in face contact to, and forwardly of, said packet of matches, and an extension portion overlying said packet of matches between said anchoring portion and the heads of the matches of said packet.

5. The structure of claim 1 and in which the free end of said back cover portion projects beyond the end of said packet of matches.

6. The structure of claim 5 and in which said front cover portion projects beyond the end of said packet of matches.

7. A match book cover in combination with a packet of matches comprising:

(a) a cover having a back portion and a front portion hingedly connected at one end to an intermediate portion to overlie said packet of matches,

(b) said back and front portions each being of a length greater than the length of said match packet,

(c) means securing said back cover portion to said packet of matches at a point spaced from the free end of said back portion to define a recess between said back portion and said packet of matches,

(d) free ends of said back portion and said front portion projecting beyond the end of said packet of matches,

(e) a flexible tab hingedly secured to the free end of said front cover portion adapted to be inserted into said recess to hold said cover closed,

(f) a strike plate secured in overlying relation of said cover.

References Cited by theExamlner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,121,136 6/1938 Wallace 206-29 2,151,116 3/1939 Jones 206-29 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,129,681 9/1956 France.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner.

J. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

7. A MATCH BOOK COVER IN COMBINATION WITH A PACKET OF MATCHES COMPRISING: (A) A COVER HAVING A BACK PORTION AND A FRONT PORTION HINGEDLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION TO OVERLIE SAID PACKET OF MATCHES, (B) SAID BACK AND FRONT PORTIONS EACH BEING OF A LENGTH GREATER THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID MATCH PACKET, (C) MEANS SECURING SAID BACK COVER PORTION TO SAID PACKET OF MATCHES AT A POINT SPACED FROM THE FREE END OF SAID BACK PORTION TO DEFINE A RECESS BETWEEN SAID BACK PORTION AND SAID PACKET OF MATCHES, (D) FREE ENDS OF SAID BACK PORTION AND SAID FRONT PORTION PROJECTION BEYOND THE END OF SAID PACKET OF MATCHES, (E) A FLEXIBLE TAB HINGEDLY SECURED TO THE FREE END OF SAID FRONT COVER PORTION ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED INTO SAID RECESS TO HOLD SAID COVER CLOSED, (F) A STRIKE PLATE SECURED IN OVERLYING RELATION OF SAID COVER. 